A Bountiful Harvest for Quebec Maple Syrup Producers

LONGUEUIL, QC, May 31, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - This spring, Quebec's 13,700 maple syrup producers harvested a record 152.2 million pounds of maple syrup from 44.2 million taps. Never have Quebec producers produced so much maple syrup. In 2016, 148 million pounds were harvested, beating the 2013 record of 120 million pounds. The Bas-Saint-Laurent/Gaspésie region had the best yields this year, with 3.89 pounds of maple syrup per tap—a new high for the easternmost region!

2017 highlights

Quebec maple syrup harvest - 2008 to 2017 (CNW Group/Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers)

This spring, Quebec's 13,700 maple syrup producers harvested a record 152,2 million pounds of maple syrup (CNW Group/Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers)

The sugaring season started in February this year, catching some producers by surprise. Some were ready, others not quite. After an early start, winter set in again for a few weeks. This gave producers the time to adjust their equipment—when the second thaw arrived in late March, all systems were go. Ideal sap flow temperatures continued into early May in the easternmost regions.

"Since 2013, the weather has been on our side!" said FPAQ president Serge Beaulieu. "We've been getting cool springs and slow thaws—that means more maple sap for us! Our producers are also benefiting from better training and technological advances that are maximizing yields. This harvest will allow us to increase our presence in foreign markets and keep investing in promotion and market development in collaboration with the bulk buyers that export our liquid gold."

1.4 million new taps in production in 2017

It should be noted that only 1.4 million of the 5 million taps awarded in fall 2016 were in production this season. Producers have two years, i.e., until the 2018 season, to put these new taps in operation. This means that by 2018, we should have 48 million taps in production—that's almost 15 million more pounds of maple syrup on the market.

152.2 million pounds of maple syrup means:

• $410 million in income for Quebec maple syrup producers
• 308,000 barrels of maple syrup
• 24 Olympic-size swimming pools' worth of maple syrup
• 92 million cans of maple syrup
• Wealth and prosperity for Quebec's rural areas
• Quebec still the world's leading maple syrup producer

2017 QUEBEC MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCTION ESTIMATES BY MAPLE SYRUP REGION

Administrative region	Number of businesses	Yield (pounds/tap)	Maple syrup production (pounds)	Taps (number)
Chaudière-Appalaches	3,287	3.14	52,276,004	16,638,234
Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie	546	3.89	34,072,269	8,768,928
Estrie	824	3.38	26,923,260	7,961,039
Centre-du-Québec	737	3.68	14,631,907	3,980,079
Montérégie	506	3.87	10,653,975	2,753,689
Capitale-Nationale, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean	200	3.47	4,737,985	1,363,862
Laurentides, Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue	164	3.48	5,284,017	1,518,345
Mauricie	146	3.14	2,191,797	698,447
Lanaudière, Laval, Montreal	79	3.15	1,478,704	470,062
TOTAL	6,489	3.45	152,249,918	44,152,685

Source:

AGÉCO Group, 2017 Estimated average maple syrup production yield and number of taps, by region and for all of Quebec for 2017

Quebec maple syrup harvest, 2008 to 2017
Year	Total volume (farm, retail, and bulk sales, in millions of pounds)	Yield (pounds per tap)
2017	152.2	3.45
2016	148.2	3.47
2015	107.2	2.53
2014	113.7	2.67
2013	120.3	2.82
2012	96.1	2.24
2011	101.9	2.39
2010	88.1	2.04
2009	109.4	2.65
2008	58.8	1.56

No new taps for 2018

The FPAQ board of directors has decided not to award any taps to producers in the startup and expansion categories for 2018, except for the 40,000 taps awarded to young entrepreneurs every year. This decision was made in light of the data on hand, e.g., regarding the 2017 harvest, maple syrup reserves, and various consultations. It should be noted that by virtue of Régie des marchés agricoles et alimentaires du Québec's historic decision on June 7, 2016, FPAQ now has the authority to approve new taps.

About FPAQ

The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers was founded in 1966 with the mission of defending and promoting the economic, social, and moral interests of 7,500 maple producers, as well as developing initiatives to collectively market maple products. The quality work of these maple producers has made Quebec the proud source of 72% of the world's maple syrup.

fpaq.ca – @AcericoleQc 

SOURCE Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers

Caroline Cyr, Communications Advisor, Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, 450-679-7021, ext. 8609, [email protected]

Related Links

http://fpaq.ca/